


Near the edge

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Altered Mental States, Angst, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Non-Consensual Drug Use, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-19
Updated: 2015-03-19
Packaged: 2018-03-18 14:39:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3573410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Dr. Summers had a more sinister plan?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Near the edge

**Author's Note:**

> This story was written to fill Ultracape´s prompt on collar corner: Neal discovers his own suicide note, written by him in his wallet on the way to the FBI after the Dr. Mara Summer incident.  
> It is an alternate ending to S5E4 - Controlling Interests and was posted originally on October 6th.
> 
> Warning: talking about suicide, if this is a trigger for you, please don´t read.
> 
> I dont pretend to have any knowledge of psychiatry or psychology, so all mistakes are mine and this is pure fiction, I have no knowledge of how suicide watch works in the States. I just wante dto write an alternate ending as I alwyas thought Peter reacted strange on Neal announcing being drugged on a case...
> 
> Special thanks to tjs_whatnot for Beta reading the story.

´Neal? You okay?´ Dr. Summers asked concerned.

´What happened?´

´We began to practice hypnotherapy technique. You were out for quite some time. You had trouble waking.´

´Are you sure?´ Neal asked uncertain, his mind coming up blank.

´Perhaps you could use something to eat or a glass of water?´

´No, I should go.´

´Would you like me to call you a cab?´

´No… No…I'm fine.´ Neal got up and walked away closing his suit jacket.

He left the building as fast as he could. He had this eerie feeling that he couldn´t shake. He had miscalculated Dr. Summer, he thought he would be in control during their talk, but he obviously hadn´t been. Hypnotherapy? Was that why he couldn´t remember? No, it had to be something else. Finally, he was outside the building in the open air. He hailed a cab and got in and told the driver to get him to the Federal building.

While he sat in the cab, he tuned in on his body, there was something off; he must have been dosed with something. He looked for possible injection marks but didn’t find any.

When the cab stopped near the federal building, Neal got his wallet out and gave the guy the fare. He noticed there was a piece of paper in his wallet that wasn´t there before.

While exiting the cab, he unfolded the piece of paper.

 

_Dear Peter,_

_I guess when you read this, you will have found my body and figured out I didn´t die by the hand of someone else, but by my own._

_You made it clear to me that I am a criminal and I always will be, even if tried my hardest to walk the straight and narrow._

_But what if I can't change? What if I can't be anything more than a criminal?_

_This is what I want so don't be sad. Happily ever after, isn´t for guys like me._

_Like Mozzie used to say. If you want a happy ending, that depends of course on where you stop your story. Well, I decided to stop it here._

_I don't want to hurt you or anybody, so please forget about me. Just try. Find yourself a better friend._

_NC_

Neal stared at the note. Cold sweat started to form and he felt nailed to the ground. The note was in his handwriting, it was even written by his own pen, as he recognized the ink and the pattern when it sometimes doesn´t give ink. Mozzie told him to get rid of it, but he had received the pen as a gift from Ellen and couldn´t.

He swallowed, he didn´t remember writing this note. When had he done so?

He needed to get to Peter. He staggered inside the building and took the elevator to the twenty first floor. He stumbled towards the conference room. Jones was just leaving the room and Neal staggered in.

´Summers is onto me.´ Neal blurted out.

´What are you talking about? How?´ Peter looked at Neal and saw the sheen of sweat that had formed.

´I don't know, but she dosed me with something. She got me to talk; I can't even remember what I said to her… I passed out.´

´Do you know what she gave you?´ Jones asked.

´No, I have no idea. She must've slipped it into my water.´

´Okay, we're gonna get you a tox screen ASAP.´

Peter, if that's the case, we have enough to arrest Summers. But, if we bring her in now, there's a good chance we won't find the money she stole.

Jones called a paramedic and Neal´s blood was drawn for analysis.

When they were alone, Peter could see that Neal was shaken badly, more than he would have expected.

´You OK?

´I´m fine. I… I will get back to work, we´ll know more once the blood analysis comes back.´ Neal stood up and walked back to his desk. He didn´t feel well, but he wasn´t going to admit that to Peter.

Once behind his desk, he started thinking. The last thing he remembered was drinking the water, which he assumed was dosed. He called Mozzie and asked him to come over to June´s later that night, so they could talk.

He felt lightheaded and nauseated; he needed to get some fresh air. He got up and walked over the elevator and pushed the button.

 

*  *  *

 

Neal suddenly startled into awareness and froze. He was standing on the ledge of the roof of the Federal building. He gently lowered himself off the wall and let out a sigh, when he was standing with two feet on the ground. His knees buckled and he went down unceremoniously. His heart was pounding and he felt a panic attack starting. He crawled into a sitting position and put his head between his knees.

That is how Peter found him on the roof. He quietly walked over and sat next to Neal.

´He, are you alright? You look pale Neal.; Neal looked up and Peter could see that Neal was close to tears.

´That´s it, I am calling the paramedics back.´

´No! No… I… ´ Neal stammered.

´What is going on,?´ Peter asked quietly.

With shaking hands, Neal pulled out the piece of paper.

´I found this in my wallet when I left Dr. Summer´s office. I have no recollection of writing it.´ Neal mumbled.

Peter´s face blanched when he read the note.

´Are you suicidal?´

´No, I just told you, I don’t remember writing it. It wasn´t there when I entered the office. She must have made me write it. She told me that she practiced hypnotherapy, but I left before she said more.´

´Neal this is seriously. I warned you to not let her get into your head.´

´I will ask our in-house therapist what we should do. But for now, let´s get back to work.´

They walked back to the elevator when Peter turned to Neal and asked him what he was doing on the roof.

´Getting some fresh air, the drugs made me nauseated. But I wanted to go to the lobby, not to the roof.´

´If you are still feeling sick, you should go home.´

´Yeah, maybe that is for the best, I am not feeling very well at the moment. Call me when you get the results back from the analysis?´

´Of course, now go.´ Peter walked Neal to the sidewalk and watched him get in a cab.

Something was off with Neal. The doctor had gotten inside his head more easily than the both of them could have imagined. The note was worrisome, so Peter took the elevator back to his office and called their in-house therapist. She explained to Peter that they needed to get Neal to speak to someone to see what damage Dr. Summer had caused. She ensured Peter that nobody could make anybody commit suicide through hypnosis. Peter promised to talk to Neal and left the office to make sure Neal was alright. While driving to Riverside Drive, Peter called Jones and asked him to bring in Dr. Summers.

He arrived half an hour later at Riverside Drive and was let in by June herself. She told Peter that Neal had had coffee and scones with her and then went upstairs to his loft. That was about an hour ago.

Peter walked up the stairs and knocked on the door. When nobody answered, he tried the lock and found it unlocked, so he hesitantly opened the door, calling out for Neal. Again, he was met with silence.

He walked in and looked around and then he noticed that someone was lying in the bed. It was Neal. He walked over but saw that he was just sleeping. He was probably still groggy from whatever drug Dr. Summers had given him. It was eerie to see that Neal didn´t move at all in his sleep. Peter started doubting if Neal really slept, so he checked for a pulse, but it was strong, so no worries there.

He sighed and took off his coat. He looked in the fridge for a beer, but quickly closed it again, as there was something rotting in it. Made himself some coffee instead. He then sat in the couch, so he could keep an eye on Neal while calling El that he was going to be late, again.

Sometime later, there was a rhythmic knock on the door.

´Come in Mozzie,´ Peter called out. Neal didn´t stir.

´What did you do to him, Suit? Neal called me and he sounded spooked.´

´He asked you to come over? ´

´Yes, he asked me to meet him here. So here I am. What has our Neal so spooked?´

Peter explained what had happened.

´Good night, Cinderella.´ Mozzie said.

´What?´ .

´ Oh, it's a drug. Good night, Cinderella. It's most likely what Summers spiked Neal´s drink with. Very popular with the working girls of Rio. I've heard stories.´

Peter looked skeptically at Mozzie. ´You've heard them or have them?´

´Does it matter?´ Mozzie looked skittish around the room and to his glass of wine.

Suddenly there was a rustling of sheets and Neal got out of bed.

´Hi Neal, we are just…´ Peter stopped talking. Neal didn´t seem to register them. He was looking into space, without focus.

´Moz…?´ Peter started but was shushed by Mozzie.

Neal walked across the room to the bathroom, not showing any signs that he had seen either of them. Peter and Mozzie quietly followed him.

Once Neal was in the bathroom, he opened the medicine cabinet and got out one of the orange prescription bottles. Peter recognized them, they were some heavy pain killers Neal refused to use when he was recovering from the gunshot wound in his leg. Neal opened the bottle and emptied the content on the wash stand. He took a glass, filled it up with water and took one of the pills. When he took a second, Peter grabbed his wrist and prevented him from taking the second one. This startled Neal awake and he was staring in shock at Peter and Mozzie.

´What are you two doing here?´ Neal looked around. ´In my bathroom?´

´What are you doing Neal?´ Peter pointed at the pills.

Neal looked genuinely shocked at the pills. Peter could see that he wasn´t faking this. ´I don´t know, Peter.´

Peter told Neal to come back to the living room so they could discuss this turn of events.

 

*  *  *

 

After their discussion, Mozzie left and Peter told Neal to pack some clothes, they were going to Brooklyn. He didn´t want Neal left alone and Neal agreed. He didn´t want to be alone. He was starting to doubt himself and he would be safer in Peter´s vicinity.

Peter called El to prepare the guestroom for Neal, so by the time the arrived at Peter´s home, everything was ready for Neal to crawl back to bed.

 

Peter woke because he heard Satchmo whine. He took his gun out of the gun safe next to his bed and slowly walked down the stairs. He couldn´t see anybody in the living room, so he moved on to the kitchen and stopped when he saw Neal standing in the kitchen with a filet knife in his hand and his other hand on the chopping block.

´Neal, what are you doing?´ Peter asked quietly.

´Hi Peter, I am preparing dinner. You wanted the filet mignon, so I am getting it ready.´ Neal spoke rationally.

´OK, but can you first come over, I have to show you something.´ Peter tried to sound confident, even if he didn´t feel like it.

Neal put down the knife and turned to Peter. ´What did you want to show me?´

Peter could see that Neal wasn´t here, so once he was close enough, he gently pulled Neal towards him, away from the knife, and with the physical contact, Neal shook his head, and really looked at Peter.

´What are we doing in the kitchen, Peter?´ Neal looked confused.

´What were you doing? I followed you down here.´

It was only now that Neal noticed the gun in Peter´s hand. ´Did you hear anything?´

´Yeah, you. You were planning on slicing your own wrist. You told me that you were preparing dinner. Neal, you need professional help.´

Neal looked shaken. He only now realized that this was the third very close shave he had. And something needed to be done. He had to admit defeat, he had no recollection of doing what Peter and Mozzie clearly saw him doing. He could even see the evidence. So something had to be done. He was a danger to himself and maybe to others. He couldn´t be sure of himself anymore. He had to do something, He needed… he…

´Come on, take it easy. You´re hyperventilating. Come sit down and put your head between your knees.´

Peter led Neal to a chair and pushed his head between his knees. Neal stayed that way until Peter came back from putting the knife in a secure spot and gently sat him back up. Neal explained to Peter that he didn´t have any recollection of getting out of bed, leaving his room and going down to the kitchen. Peter could see, Neal heart beating in his neck, the kid was terrified.

Peter escorted Neal back to bed and went to bed himself, but sleep didn´t come fast and after ten minutes listening to Neal´s ragged breathing, he got up again and walked over to the guest bedroom. ´You want me to stay with you?´

´Wouldn´t you think it´s strange?´ Neal looked at the sheets instead of Peter.

´Yes, but I also realize that you shouldn´t be alone right now. Just listen to my breathing and try to get some sleep.´ Peter coaxed.

Peter could here that Neal´s breathing evened out within minutes and that he was fast asleep, unlike himself.

When the woke up the next morning, there was that awkward moment, when they looked at each other and then Peter got up and walked over to the bathroom to get ready for work.

During breakfast Peter announced that he was going to talk to Dr. Summers and that he wanted for Neal to stay at the office. But Neal was so antsy Peter decided it was best to bring Neal along on the trip.

Dr. Summers was sent to Taconic Correctional Facilities in Bedford Hills while under investigation, so it would take them about an hour and a half to get there, but before Peter had left Brooklyn, Neal was fast asleep in the car. He woke when Peter stopped at a local coffee place.

´I want you to stay here, grab a cup of coffee, eat something. I don´t want you near this woman again.´ Peter looked at Neal´s tense form. He could see that Neal was uneasy.

Neal didn´t want to stay here alone in the open, but he also didn´t want to confront Dr. Summers again. Stiffly, he exited the car and walked over to the coffee place. When he opened the door, an aroma of freshly baked pies filled his nostrils and he somewhat settled down. He took a seat near the window and a lady came into the store.

´What can I get you?´ she smiled at him.

Neal gave her his biggest smile. ´Coffee and whatever you recommend.´

She smiled at him. ´That would be our Classic sour cherry pie.´

´I´ll have a piece. Thanks. Do you have a newspaper?´

´Yeah sure, it is in the magazine stand, over there.´

Neal walked over and grabbed a newspaper and sat down again. The lady brought over the pie and coffee and Neal dug in.

´This is delicious, it is the best cherry pie I have ever had. You made it yourself?´

The lady beamed. ´Yes, I sure did, it was my grandmother´s recipe and we never changed it. It is a proven thing.´

 

She left him to his newspaper and walked to the back of the store to attend to her chores. When she heard the bell, she quickly checked to see that the young man had left the store and was walking straight to the road. She looked again because he walked oddly stiff. But he continued to walk in a straight line without hesitation.

It looked odd, so she came to the front of the store and opened the door, when she saw this giant Mac truck coming up the road and the young man didn´t even look right or left.

The truck started sounding his horn, startling the young man, who took a flying leap to the sidewalk. The truck braked and she couldn´t see him anymore, but she ran towards the side of the road. When it was safe, she crossed the road and together with the truck driver, they looked at Neal who was laying in the shoulder of the road.

´Are you OK, son?´ the truck driver asked.

When Neal nodded, the guy started yelling at him.

´What the hell were you thinking? I could have killed you!´

The waitress tried to shush the driver and looked at Neal´s leg. ´I guess you will need a doctor dear, you have a laceration in your leg and by the looks of it, it needs to be sewn. Come, help me get him into the store, so I can call the paramedics.´

Together with the truck driver, Neal hopped back to the bakeryand they both got a cup of coffee while they waited for the ambulance. The paramedics confirmed that Neal probably needed stitches, so they took him to the local hospital.

 

*  *  *

 

Peter entered the correctional facilities and waited in the visitor area for Dr. Summers, he was looking out of the window, when he heard the door open behind him, he turned around.

´Well special agent Burke, what brings you out here in this neck of the woods?´ Dr. Summers gave him a sinister smile. It gave Peter the creeps.

´You said to Neal that you used hypnotherapy techniques on him. I want to know what exactly you did to him.´

´Well agent Burke.´ It wasn´t lost to Peter that she already lost the special. ´that is patient-doctor confidentially. I can´t divulge anything what was said during this session, not unless Mister Caffrey gives me his explicit approval.

´If you don´t have anything else, I want to go back to my cell.´ She just smiled at Peter.

´I can make your life very miserably.´ Peter was desperate, so he tried to lean on her a bit. He needed to know how he could help Neal.

´Yes, you can Peter, but I am not going to make it easier on you. I would be careful to leave Neal alone. Pets can do very irrational things when they are not teetered down. GUARD!´

Peter sat frustrated on the bench. This hadn´t helped; he didn´t know anything more and now she knew that he was on to her. He got up and went back to his car and drove back to the coffee place where he left Neal.

He entered and it smelled delicious, but no Neal.

´Have you seen a young man with blue eyes, dark hair, nice suit? I dropped him off here this morning.´

´Oh, yeah, I recognize your car. I am sorry to inform you he was taken to hospital.´

Peter´s heart started pumping. This was not good, not good at all.

´What happened?´ he managed.

´He was hit by a truck. He walked straight in front of it. It was the weirdest thing, he didn´t look left or right, just walked into traffic. But the paramedics said it is not too bad.´

´Where was he taken?´

´Putnam Hospital Center, it is not to far from the correctional facility, do you know where that is,´ the lady asked.

´Yes, I know, thanks.´

Peter got in his car and drove to the center. He went to the desk and showed his badge and inquired about Neal.

´Mister Caffrey was taken to one of the cubicles to have his leg taken care of, but it is not too bad. Just walked through those doors and it will be the second cubicle on your left.´

Peter walked in and found Neal lying in the bed, looking extremely pale and anxious. He had his eyes closed, but opened them when he heard someone. He looked extremely relieved when he saw it was Peter.

´Peter, you need to get me help. I can´t remember walking into traffic. I really need help.´ Neal was now clinging to Peter´s suit jacket.

´Calm down Neal. I know.´ Peter tried to sound calm himself, but he was so relieved to see that Neal was OK, that it was hard for him to be calm.

One of the nurses came in and asked Peter if he could fill in the insurance forms.

´No, Peter, please, don´t leave me, I…´

Peter could see that Neal´s pupils were almost completely dilated. He asked the nurse if they gave him drugs, which she denied. He had only been given a local anesthetic to sew the wound. But Neal was panicking and that made his pupils dilate.

´Would it be possible to bring me the form, so I can stay with him?´ Peter informed with the nurse.

´Of course, sir, I will bring them over after I am done here.´

Peter received the forms and filled them in, and by the time he was done, Neal was discharged.

Neal hopped to the car as he didn´t want to wait by himself near the exit for Peter to bring the car around. By the time they got in, he was exhausted and as soon as Peter started driving, he put his head against the window and nodded off. Peter stopped to put the passenger seat in the reclining position and maneuvered Neal in a laying position and put a blanket over him.

´How where they going to take care of this?´ Peter mussed over it while he drove back to the City. Once he was on the freeway, he called Mozzie and asked him to meet them at his home.

 

*  *  *

 

Neal started awake in front of the Burke´s house. He had slept the whole trip, and Peter gently escorted him inside the house and placed him on the couch. He told Neal to lay down with his leg elevated and put one of his mom´s quilts on top of Neal. The weight of the quilt always gave Peter a sense of security; hopefully it would do the same for Neal. Peter let Satchmo in and told him to go to Neal, which he happily did.

He looked in the fridge and saw that El had left them some chicken soup and lasagna. That was good, comfort food. Peter warmed the soup and placed the lasagna in the oven. He brought a bowl of the soup to Neal and the bottle of medication he had received from the doctor at Putnam.

´I don´t want the pills.´ Neal said picking up the bowl of soup.

´I know, but I think it will be better for your leg if you do.´ Peter hated lying to Neal, but they were anti-anxiety pills and he knew that Neal would refuse to take them if he knew.

Reluctantly Neal took the pills in his hand and eventually in his mouth and swallowed them with the water Peter had given him.

When Neal was done with his soup, he brought out the lasagna. Again Neal fought about eating anymore, but Peter insisted and Neal ate some. When he finished, he looked more relaxed to Peter. So Peter told him to lay down and he put the TV on with the sound on low. It was the Antiques Road Show and Neal looked interested at all the knick knacks that were brought in by people.

When Peter came back in after cleaning up and doing the dishes, Neal was softly snoring on the couch.

Half an hour later, Mozzie knocked on the door and was let in by Peter.

´What happened to him?´

´He walked into oncoming traffic. He was lucky today, but I guess his luck can´t keep up. We need to do something.´ Peter sounded frustrated.

´I know a hypnotherapist.´ Mozzie suggested.

´You think she can help Neal?´

´I don´t know, but it worth a shot, don´t you think? The next time he tries something, he might be standing on the 50th floor of a building.´

´How soon can you get her here?´ Peter would try anything after what happened today.

´I will contact her and ask her to come over as soon as possible. Can you keep Neal here tomorrow?´

´Yeah, I will work from home and Neal has a sick day, so that shouldn´t be a problem.

Around ten o´clock, Peter was exhausted and woke Neal to come to bed. Neal was not completely awake, but was happy for Peter to take the lead in climbing the stairs. Peter deposited Neal in the bed and went to bed himself.

Peter woke when he heard Neal talking in his sleep. He didn´t realize what Neal was saying, but he was taking, no, it sounded more like ranting. Peter got up and walked over to the guestroom where he saw Neal tossing and turning in the bed, the sheets had constricted around him and Neal was breathing heavily.

´I´m reformed, I can be good. You don´t understand….´ Neal kept on ranting.

Peter gently shook Neal awake. Well, awake was not the correct term, but he stopped babbling and turned around and went back to sleep. So Peter walked back over to his own bed. El was still not home, so he checked his cell and saw that she had left a message that she was staying in a hotel as it was too late to go back home. Relived, he fell asleep as well.

Only to be woken up again by Neal who was on the verge of a full blow panic attack. He was standing in the corner of Peter ´s bedroom, breathing heavily and looking around in fear.

´Neal, what are you doing? Calm down. Come on Neal, don´t do this.´

Peter sighed and got up and slowly walked over to Neal who had pressed himself in the corner of the room.

´Neal? Come over to the bed.´ Peter coaxed Neal and gently pulled his elbow. Neal let himself be guided to the bed and Peter placed Neal in the bed next to him on El´s spot. He lay his hand on Neal´s chest and told him to calm down, and for some reason it worked. After a couple of minutes Neal was breathing normal and felt relaxed and safe enough to fall asleep again.

 

*  *  *

 

´RMT.´ Mozzie said to the group of people in Peter´s living room. When Neal and Peter stared at him, he explained. ´Recovered memory therapy.´  
   
´What do you know about it?´ Peter asked skeptical.

´ It's simple. I drink too much wine, I forget things… In order to remember them, I drink more wine.´  
 

´I'm sure you do.´ Neal snorted.

´To recover a memory, it's often most effective to recreate the conditions one was experiencing at the time of that memory's loss.´  
 

´So what you're saying is I need to go back down the rabbit hole?´ Neal sighed. ´Look, even if I were gonna consider this, would you be able to find this stuff on the street?´

´No, of course not.´ Mozzie said convinced. ´I'd have to make it for you. And to be sure that it is effective, Sandra here is going to help us with hypnotherapy during your altered state.

´You're sure this is the exact combination that Summers used?´ Neal was eyeing the glass with some reservations.

´Mm, pretty sure.´ When Neal and Peter didn´t look convinced, he continued. ´One of the few certainties in life is that persons of certainty should certainly be avoided.´  
   
'That does not make me feel better.´

´Okay, I made a few modifications. I added a mild stimulant to prolong your vision quest.´  
 

´Great.´ Peter still didn´t look convinced.  
 

´The more time you spend awake in this altered state, the better our chances of success. And Sandra has time to work with you.´  
 

´And there are no lasting effects?´ Neal asked.  
 

´No, in fact you'll be in complete control of your faculties, thanks to my added potassium stimulant.´  
 

´As long as I wake up when it's over.´ Neal said unconvinced.  
 

´Neal, you'll be fine.´ Sandra tried to calm Neal´s anxiety down.  
 

´I am your Sherpa guide. Your spirit animal for this fantastic voyage you're about to embark upon.

Trust me. This is the solution.´ Mozzie sounded so sincere.  
 

´Boa noite Cinderela.´

Peter and Mozzie were looking at Neal like he was a lab rat, so Sandra started the conversation before Neal could start feeling anxious again. They were chatting when Neal started slurring his words, a first indicator the drugs were taking effect. Soon after, he started wavering on the stool. Peter and Mozzie helped him in a chair with arm rests, so Neal wouldn´t fall out of the chair. Neal was getting antsy and sleepy all at the same time. Peter could see that Neal´s pupils were dilating. Neal said that he didn´t feel good, but Mozzie reassured him this was normal.

*  *  *

 

´Remember the office. The shapes, the textures, the view. Dr. Summers is sitting across from you. She's waiting for you to lose your inhibitions. What is she saying?´

´I'm ready to begin when you are. Take a deep breath, and stay calm. You won't remember what you tell me once the narcotic wears off.´

´Yeah, she wanted-- she wanted to-- ´

´Did you ask her any questions?´ Sandra asked gently.

´Yeah. You stole the 2 million. Why?

´What else did she ask or tell you, Neal?´

´She told me I couldn´t get straight, that I will always be a criminal.´

Then Neal stopped talking and he closed his eyes, Sandra gently shook him and asked him to open his eyes. When Neal did, there were tears in them.

´What did she say to you, Neal?´

´She… She… she told me that Peter will always think of me as a criminal that… that I am only in the way of his career. That he…´

´That he what, Neal, come one, tell me.´

´That he be better off without me.´ Neal stuttered.

´What did she do next, Neal?´

´She told me to write something down, but I can´t remember what.´

´That´s OK, Neal, that´s OK.´ Sandra ensured him.

‘OK, Neal, I want you to listen to me….´

 

*  *  * 

 

Neal woke up with a splitting headache. He looked around and saw that he was on the Burkes´ couch. He looked over and saw Mozzie, Peter, El and Sandra sitting at the dining room table having coffee.

´What did I miss?´ Neal croaked.

´We think you´ll be fine.´ Mozzie explained. ´Sandra undid what Dr. Summers did to you, we hope.´

´Now, here is something for the headache and sleep some more, you will feel better when you wake up again.´

Neal felt safe for the first time in a long time, so he took the pills from Mozzie and looked over to Peter, who gave a small nod and smiled approvingly. He downed them with some water and went back to sleep under the heavy quilt that was covering him.

 

  


End file.
